Car retarder for railroads



Feb. 7, 1933. w K. HOWE 1,897,006

CAR RETARDER FOR RAILROADS Filed Dec. 50, 1929 INVENTOR Flehl.

TTQRNEY Patented Feb. 7, 1933 UNIE PATNT' FHCE WINTHROP K. HOWE, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK GAR RETARDER FOB RAILROADS Application filed December 30, 1929. Serial No. 417,439.

= operating such brake shoes.

In my prior application Ser. No. 244,259, filed January 3, 1928, I have disclosed a car retarder, in which if a certain member is perated to its active position it will, through the medium of springs, cause braking pressures to be applied to tie various brake sh es, these pressures being dependent upon the position of such member. Fluid pressure means, and particularly an arrangement where a liquid is used as the fluid, has been found to lend itself especially well, where an ordinary force is converted into a much larger force, and where such force is maintained for an appreciable period of time. Also, liquid fluid opera-ted means is particularly well applicable where a certain device is to be moved to 21 particular position rather than where such device is to exert a predetermined pressure, in the latter case of which a gaseous fluid would preferably be used. In view of the foregoing and other important considerations, it is proposed, in accordance with the present invention, to operate a car retarder oi the type shown in my prior application by liquid fluid pressure means, conveniently called hydraulic means, and to control such apparatus from a remote point in such a manner that the member of tie car 1' tarder may be operated to a predetermined position irrespective of the forces necessary to cause it to assume such a position.

Other objects, purposes and characteristic features or" the present invention will be in partunderstood from the accompanying drawing and will in part be more particularly described hereinafter.

describing the invention in detail, reference will be made to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 illustrates plan view of a car retardcr, together with the fluid pressure means for operating such car retarder, the pressure tank, the operating cylinder, its associated valves and the contact operating cam of which are shown in cross section; and,

Fig. 2 shows an end elevation, partly in section, of the car retarder shown in Fig. 1.

Reta/molar appamms.lteferring particularly to Fig. 2, the ties 2 of the railway track carry the usual track rails 15, which have arranged on opposite sides thereof brake beams 12, containing brake shoes 26, these brake beams 12 being operated by levers 16 and 18 through the medium of cross bars 11 and springs 21. The cross bars 11, on the other hand, are operated by angle levers 49 through the medium of the longitudinal movable member 50. This member 50 is operated through the medium of multiplying lever 72, the rod 68 and the angle lever 61, this angle lever 61 oliering a variable lever ratio which increases as theretarder is closed. The parts just described have been more fully described in my prior application above mentioned, to which reference may be had if desired.

'Hydmu-ZM apparatus.-The angle lever 61, as shown, is operated by the cross head 7 0, through the medium of the pitman. rod 60. It will be noted that the angle lever 61 has its fixed and movable pivots so arranged, that the compression force in rod 68 increases, as compared with the force exerted by the rod 60, as the brake shoes are moved toward each other. This expedient is adopted so that the force exerted by the piston 75 is greatly multiplied for those positions of the car retarder in which the larger forces are required. This cross head 7 0 is slidably mounted in guide members 71, and is operated through the medium of the piston rod 73 connected to the piston 7 5. Fluid pressure may be caused to flow from the pressure tank PT to either. side depending upon the position of the cut-ofi valve 76, this cut-oii' valve 7 6 being normally held in its middle position by the springs 7 8 and 7 9, and being operable to one extreme position by the solenoid 80 and to the other extreme position by the solenoid 81, these solenoids acting on armatures 82 and 83, respectively. The pressure tank PT includes a piston Mend aweight 85, this piston and weight exerting a predetermined and fixed force upon the liquid, and assuming a position depending upon the amount of liquid that has been as the lever 91, and including the "connecting '97 cooperated with thecam'surface94and the" roller 98 cooperated with cam surface forced into the pressure tank PT through the medium of the pump P Operated byamotor M; The valve 76 is used, not ionlyto allow fluid pressure to flow into the cylinder 74, but also Y conducts liquid from this cylinder 74 back through the piped? "into thestorage tank ST, the pumpP, of course, again'pumping the liquid from the storage tank ST into able for operating thepiston 75 f- The present apparatus also'includes the pr ssur'e tank PT, making-it again; availmedium of a suitable multiplying lever, such surfaces 93, 94 and 95'which} are arranged in difi' erent vertical,planes,-the roller 96' cog operating with the oam surface93, the roller 95. These rollers 96, 97 and9 8 operate respectively the coritactsjlOO, 101 and 102. JgIt fw'ill-benoted that the comma 100 isinclu-ded in the circuit leading to the solenoidfil and that the contact 102is included ina circuit" leading 'to the solenoidr8j0, and that the con tact 101 in the interrnediate position ofthe' retarder shown does notengage either of-itsi stationary contacts These cam surfaces 93, .94 and 9 5, and the rollers 96, '97 and 98 are so related that only one oi"; these contacts 100,

101 or 102 are operatedl at onetime. Anyl oneot the contacts 100, 1010 102 maybe "connected to the positive sideof the battery V 105 through the mediumofthe lever 106;

In practice; this'jlever 106 is located in a tower, possibly a very considerable distance from the 'car 'retarder, in which tower; there are located the levers of all of the various car retarders of that particularclassification system, this .tower having been; conventionally represented by the;dottedre'ctangle,'1.

It is believed that the invention will be betconsidering the ter understood by briefly operation ofthe apparatus;

e0pemzfz'on.Attention is I the fact that the apparatus as shown inthedraw ing'is in its intermediateposition, in ;which positiona passing car would be brakedxto a medium extent. Let us now observehow the brake shoes 26 may be operated to their full brakingv position. In order, .to effect of the solenoid 80 through following circuit:'beginning at the positive side of the like. maximum braking, the operator will operate hi silever 106 to the extre iiejright handposi tion, and in soldoing will efi'ect'energization battery 105,- wire 104, lever 106, wire" 107,

contact 102, wires 108, 109 and 110, solenoid 80, wires 111 and 112, back tothe negative terminalof the battery 105. Completion of this circuitcauses the solenoid 80-82 to move theslide valve 76 toward the right, thereby V theip'iston 75. This new of fluid pressure control mechanism for controllingithe solenoids 80 and81. Although, any suitable circuit arrangement may be used for operating .the' solenoids SO and 81,1v this apparatusprefen fably includes means for operating the piston '15 to ,a' predeterminedposition'andethen*dis- [continuing movement pflthis piston 725 1 In; the particular" arrangement shown: the cross head 70 operates asli de cam 90 through the causes the piston 7 v the right, thereby1noving the brake shoes 26 toward each other, and operating the conltacti l0l toits upper-l'position through the tact102 will 'move away from its back stationary contact, thereby opening the circuit ;rorthe solenoid 80-82 and causing the pis- 7 ton 5 .to remain in its thenoperated position, i which posi niaizin umbraking position. V :3L-etus now observe how the car operator will move his lever 106 to the ex- 5 to be operated toward ion thecar retarder assumes its r retarder may be; operated to its full open or non-brakingposition. g In orderto accomplish this the r treme left hand position, thereby completing the ifollowing circuit for the solenoid beginning at the battery 105, wire 104, lever'106, wire 115,] contact 100, wires 1116,1175and 118',c'o il 81 of the solenoid B1 83; wires" 119 and 112., back to thebattery 105; Completion of'athe circuit just traced will efie t; operation ofthe slide valve 7 6 to its extreme left hand position, thereby conducting fluid pressure I from the left side of thepiston 75ba'ck to the storage tank ,ST

through the medium of pipe 77, and likewise connecting the right hand side of the piston 7560 the pressure tank PT through the medi film of, the pipe 113, so that the piston 75 will be moved. toward the left, efi'ectingseparationof the brake shoes 26. Movement of the "piston 75ftowa rd the left will cause the c0nftacts 101 andlO0 to be operated in the order given, the contact 102 already being 7 down and 101 assuming its lowermost position beforethe movement of the contact 100 is started." Downward movement of the contact 100 causes the circuit for the solenoid 81,83 to bejbroken, thereby closing the port 120 in the slide valve ZG a-nd causing the 'pist'on75 toremain in its then operated posi- 'tion. Although anysuitable pressurefiuid i may be used, in accordance with the present invention this pressure fluid is preferably of the liquid non-compressible type, such as oil, glycerine, anti-freeze water solution, ortho Consider, now, a movemenwr arm 106 to its placed on contact 101, which is now inits lower position, to thus energize solenoid 8O through a circuit obvious from the drawing, to move valve 76 to the right, to cause fluid pressure to move piston 7 5 to the right and thus position the brake shoes nearer to the running rails, until cam 94 operates on 97 to raise contact 101 and de-energize 80. The parts are then held in the intermediate, or shown, position, until there is another operation of lever 106.

A car retarder has thus been provided, which may be ope ated by fluid pressure, and in which the fluid pressure is automatically controlled in accordance with the position assumed by the main operating member or" such car retarder. and further flow of fluid pressure is Cutofl when the retarder has assumed such position. Also, a fluid pressure operated retarder has been devised in which the pressure exerted upon the retarder is variable in spite of the application of constant fluid pressure.

Having thus shown and described one rather specific embodiment of the present invention, it is desired to be understood that the particular embodiment illustrated has been selected for the purpose of disclosing the principles and operating characteristics or" the invention rather than its scope or the exact construction preferably employed in practicing the same, and that various changes, modifications and additions may be made to adapt the invention to the particular problem encountered in practicing the same, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or the idea of means underlying the same, except as demanded by the scope of the following claims.

lVhat I claim as new is 1. In a car retarder, the combination with a railway track, brake shoes on opposite sides of each track rail, springs associated with said brake shoes, a member for operating said brake shoes through the medium of said springs, a piston for operating said member, a liquid fluid source of pressure, an electrically operated valve for applying fluid pres sure to either side of said piston, a circuit for controlling said valve including a manually operable controller, and other means in said circuit for operating said valve to its inactive position when said member has been operated to a predetermined position.

2. In a car retarder, the combination with a railway track, brake shoes on opposite sides of each track rail, springs associated with said brake shoes, a member for operating said brake shoes through the medium of said springs, a variable multiplying lever for op erating said member, hydraulic means for operating said lever, a controller operated by movement of said member and including a plurality of cam operated contactors, and a circuit for controlling said hydraulic means including said controller for stopping movement of said hydraulic means by opening a said contaotor, when said member has been moved to a predetermined position.

3. In a car retarder, the combination with a railway track, brake shoes on opposite sides of each track rail, springs associated with said brake shoes, a member for operating said brake shoes through the medium of said springs, a variable multiplying lever for op erating said member, hydraulic means for operating said lever from a source of fluid pressure, a controller operated by movement of said member, and a circuit for controlling said hydraulic means including said controller for stopping movement of said hydraulic means when said member has been moved to a predetermined position.

4. In a car retarder, the combination with a railway track, of brake shoes on opposite sides of each track rail, springs associated with said brake shoes, a member for operating said brake shoes through the medium of said springs, a piston for operating said member, a source of fluid pressure, an electrically operated valve for applying fluid pressure to either side of said piston, a circuit for controlling said valve including a manually operable controller having a plurality of separate operative positions, and other means, including a cam operated contactor corresponding to each said operative positions, included in said circuit for operating said valve to its inactive position when said member has been operated to a predetermined position.

5. In a car retarder, the combination with a railway track, of brake shoes on opposite sides of each track rail, springs associated with said brake shoes, a member for operating said brake shoes through the medium of said springs, a piston for operating said member, a source of fluid pressure, an electrically operated valve for applying fluid pressure to either side of said piston, a circuit for controlling said valve including a manually operable controller having a plurality of separate operative positions, and other means, including a cam operated cont-actor corresponding to each said operative positions, included in said circuit, for making and breaking said circuit, for operating said valve to its inactive position when said member has been operated to a predetermined position.

In testimony whereof I ailiX my signature.

WINTHROP K. HOWE. 

